Parameter display method and program therefor, and parameter setting apparatus

Abstract

Once an automatic setting instruction, such as a scene recall instruction, is given for instructing that a parameter to be set via an operator member should be automatically set to a given target value, automatic setting processing, such as scene recall processing, is performed to cause the current value of the parameter, to be set via the operator member, to gradually vary toward the given target value. During that time, the given target value and the current value of the parameter to be set via the operator member are displayed on a display device simultaneously or alternately. During the automatic setting processing, the target value can be changed as desired by a user, and, as the target value is changed, the changed or new target value is displayed on the displayed device.

1. A method for displaying parameters to be set via a plurality of operator members of an audio mixer, which comprises:
 a first display step of displaying current values of the parameters to be set via said operator members; 
 a step of detecting when an automatic setting instruction has been given for instructing that the parameters to be set via said operator members should be automatically set to respective given target values; 
 a second display step of, when the automatic setting instruction has been given, reading out the given target values from a memory and displaying the given target values read out from the memory; 
 a control step of, in response to the automatic setting instruction, gradually varying the current values of the respective parameters to be set via said operator members toward the respective given target values read out from the memory, wherein, while the current values of the parameters are being varied by said control step, said first display step updates the current values of the parameters and displays the updated current values; 
 a first display control step of (1) controlling the first and second display steps so that the given target values to be displayed via said second display step and the current values of the parameters to be displayed via said first display step are simultaneously or alternately displayed, before the current values of the parameters reach the given target values, but (2) controlling said first and second display steps so that only the current values of the parameters are displayed via said first display step, after the current values of the parameter reach the given target values, a second display control step of controlling a display device to simultaneously display a plurality of operator images corresponding to said plurality of operator members on a display screen of the display device, each of said operator images including an indicator image indicative of a current position of a corresponding one of said plurality of operator members, said indicator image being movable along a moving axis set in the operator image displayed on the display screen; 
 a third display control step of, in response to the automatic setting instruction, displaying target images indicative of respective positions corresponding to the given target values read out from the memory, each of the target images being displayed at the position corresponding to the given target value on the moving axis set in the corresponding one of said plurality of operator images; 
 a storing step of storing said given target values read out from the memory, the target values stored in a buffer being used in said second display control step, said control step, said first display control step and said third display control step as said given target values read out from the memory; 
 a detecting step of detecting when a change instruction has been given for instructing that any one of the given target values be changed while said control step is gradually varying the current values of the respective parameters; and 
 a switching step of renewing any of the target values stored in the buffer with a changed, new target value in response to the change instruction to thereby switch the corresponding target value displayed via said second display step to the new target value stored in the buffer as well as the target image displayed on the display screen, 
 wherein said control step changes a speed of the variation of the current value of the parameter corresponding to the changed target value to a new speed that is determined on the basis of a difference between the new target value and the current value of the parameter. 
 
     
     
       2. A computer-readable medium storing a program for causing a processor device to perform a method for displaying, on a display device, parameters to be set via operator members of an audio mixer, said method comprising:
 a first display step of displaying current values of the parameters to be set via said operator members; 
 a step of detecting when an automatic setting instruction has been given for instructing that the parameters to be set via said operator members should be automatically set to respective given target values; 
 a second display step of, when the automatic setting instruction has been given, reading out the given target values from a memory and displaying the given target values read out from the memory; 
 a control step of, in response to the automatic setting instruction, gradually varying the current values of the respective parameters to be set via said operator members toward the respective given target values read out from the memory, wherein, while the current values of the parameters are being varied by said control step, said first display step updates the current values of the parameters and displays the updated current values; 
 a first display control step of (1) controlling the first and second display steps so that the given target values to be displayed via said second display step and the current values of the parameters to be displayed via said first display step are simultaneously or alternately displayed, before the current values of the parameters reach the given target values, but (2) controlling said first and second display steps so that only the current values of the parameters are displayed via said first display step, after the current values of the parameter reach the given target values, 
 a second display control step of controlling a display device to simultaneously display a plurality of operator images corresponding to said plurality of operator members on a display screen of the display device, each of said operator images including an indicator image indicative of a current position of a corresponding one of said plurality of operator members, said indicator image being movable along a moving axis set in the operator image displayed on the display screen; 
 a third display control step of, in response to the automatic setting instruction, displaying target images indicative of respective positions corresponding to the given target values read out from the memory, each of the target images being displayed at the position corresponding to the given target value on the moving axis set in the corresponding one of said plurality of operator images; 
 a storing step of storing said given target values read out from the memory, the target values stored in a buffer being used in said second display control step, said control step, said first display control step and said third display control step as said given target values read out from the memory; 
 a detecting step of detecting when a change instruction has been given for instructing that any one of the given target values be changed while said control step is gradually varying the current values of the respective parameters; and 
 a switching step of renewing any of the target values stored in the buffer with a changed, new target value in response to the change instruction to thereby switch the corresponding target value displayed via said second display step to the new target value stored in the buffer as well as the target image displayed on the display screen, 
 wherein said control step changes a speed of the variation of the current value of the parameter corresponding to the changed target value to a new speed that is determined on the basis of a difference between the new target value and the current value of the parameter. 
 
     
     
       3. A parameter setting apparatus for an audio mixer, said parameter setting apparatus comprising:
 a plurality of operator members for setting parameters; 
 an instruction section that issues an automatic setting instruction for instructing that the parameters to be set via said operator members should be automatically set to respective given target values; 
 a first display section that displays current values of the parameters to be set via said operator members; 
 a second display section that, when the automatic setting instruction has been issued by said instruction section, reads out the given target values from a memory and displays the given target values read out from the memory; 
 a control section that, in response to the automatic setting instruction, gradually varies the current values of the respective parameters to be set via said operator members toward the respective given target values read out from the memory, wherein, while the current values of the parameters are being varied by said control section, said first display section updates the current values of the parameters and displays the updated current values; 
 a first display control section that (1) controls the first and second display sections so that the given target values to be displayed via said second display section and the current values of the parameters to be displayed via said first display section are simultaneously or alternately displayed, before the current values of the parameters reach the given target values, but (2) controls said first and second display sections so that only the current values of the parameters are displayed via said first display section, after the current values of the parameter reach the given target values; 
 a display device; 
 a second display control section that controls the display device to simultaneously display a plurality of operator images corresponding to said plurality of operator members on a display screen of the multi-functional display device, each of said operator images including an indicator image indicative of a current position of a corresponding one of said plurality of operator members, said indicator image being movable along a moving axis set in the operator image displayed on the display screen; 
 a third display control section that, in response to the automatic setting instruction, displays target images indicative of respective positions corresponding to the given target values read out from the memory, each of the target images being displayed at the position corresponding to the given target value on the moving axis set in the corresponding one of said plurality of operator images; 
 a buffer for storing said given target values read out from the memory, the target values stored in the buffer being used in said second display section, said control section, said first display control section and said third display control section as said given target values read out from the memory; 
 a detection section that detects when a change instruction has been given for instructing that any one of the given target values be changed while said control section is gradually varying the current values of the respective parameters; and 
 a switching section that renews any of the target values stored in the buffer with a changed, new target value in response to the change instruction to thereby switch the corresponding target value displayed via said second display section to the new target value stored in the buffer as well as the target image displayed on the display screen, 
 wherein said control section changes a speed of the variation of the current value of the parameter corresponding to the changed target value to a new speed that is determined on the basis of a difference between the new target value and the current value of the parameter. 
 
     
     
       4. The parameter setting apparatus as claimed in  claim 3  wherein the target values to be displayed via the second display section and the current values to be displayed via the first display section are displayed in different display styles on calibrated display elements provided in association with each of said operator members. 
     
     
       5. The parameter setting apparatus as claimed in  claim 4  wherein a luminance level of the calibrated display elements is differentiated between a position indicating the target value and a position indicating the current value. 
     
     
       6. The parameter setting apparatus as claimed in  claim 3  wherein each of said operator members includes a knob operable by a human operator and also operable automatically,
 wherein said first display section displays each of the current values of the parameters with a current position of the knob corresponding to each of said operator members, 
 wherein said second display section displays each of the given target values on an individual display unit provided near each of said operator members, and 
 wherein, when the automatic setting instruction has been given, the knob corresponding to each of said operator members is automatically moved toward a position corresponding to each of the given target values, each of the current values of the parameters being set via each of said operator members is displayed in accordance with a current position of the corresponding knob, and each of the given target value is displayed on the individual display unit. 
 
     
     
       7. The parameter setting apparatus as claimed in  claim 3  wherein the target values are values for reproducing set parameters of said operator members stored in a scene memory of the audio mixer, and the automatic setting instruction is a scene reproducing instruction.